End to violence on women needs practical steps: CEO

KABUL (Pajhwok): Chief Executive Offcier (CEO) Dr. Abdullah Abdullah has said only slogans would not help end violence against women but practical steps were needed.

The CEO said the national unity government was committed to bringing fundamental changes by taking practical steps to curb violence against the gender.

Abdullah was addressing a ceremony celebrating International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in capital Kabul.

“As women face more violence in Afghanistan, it is the responsibility of all people to stand against this phenomenon”, he said.

“Unfortunately we witness heinous incidents of violence against women, so our responsibility in this regard is much higher,” Abdullah added.

He said many mechanisms had been created for eliminating violence against women but all organs concerned both in the capital and in provinces should have a sense of responsibility towards implementing them.

A healthy society looked equally to men’s and women’s rights and did not allow violence against women, he said.

Abdullah said all national programs, including the Citizen Charter program, were aimed at empowering women and the government was trying to further support women.

Provincial governors have been directed to take violence against women serious and provide job opportunities to women as well as support them, he said.

“Providing job opportunities to women is essential in all government departments, particularly in security organs,” Abdullah said.

Families should let their daughters and sisters work in security forces but women should be first provided with proper job opportunities, he said.

Pointing to achievements over the past 16 years, the CEO said Afghanistan was once ruled by a regime that termed violence against women as an achievement.

“The current situation is not comparable with the situation 16 years ago, but current violence against women is also not acceptable”, he said.

Meanwhile, Women’s Affairs Minister Delbar Nazari said today should be the start of the national campaign for elimination of violence against women.

She said violence against women cases could not be reduced in Afghanistan but women’s access to justice and media had decreased.

Nazari added 87 percent of women faced different physical, mental and other problems.

Poverty, illiteracy and bad traditions were main factors behind the violence against women, she concluded.